An Auckland entrepreneur says New Zealand Post is being insensitive to the needs of the community in deciding to close his Sandringham Rd shop.
Chander Satija, of Lynfield, has been told by NZ Post his franchise has only one more year left to run and he is now in a dilemma as to how to pay off the bank loan he took to buy the business two years ago.
Initially, he was told that his shop was to close immediately after just two terms into a three-year contract, but all that changed following talks and protests by residents today (May 30).
About 60-70 residents protested against the closure of the Post Shop and Kiwi Bank, which is located in the busy Sandringham Rd shopping area which is also home to many of the ethnic outlets, including a vege shop, butcher, pharmacy, dairy, spice shops, etc.
Satija’s shop is one of several facing the axe as NZ Post reviews its franchise business structure.
According to Satija, NZ Post wants residents in the area to use the Dominion Rd or the St Luke’s outlets when his shop is closed down. He said his current shop would be downscaled to just a Post Centre which will only sell stamps and other small items, but not accept household bills. No Kiwi Bank services will be available either.
“We have so many older people, and women with babies in prams who can just walk a short distance to pay their bills here,” Satija told Sandesh.
“But all that is now going to change soon.”
Satija, 63, said area had a total population of 10,800, with eight per cent aged over 65.
He said his business performances had been exceeding expectations and the latest move by NZ Post had left him baffled.
“They (NZ Post/Kiwi Bank) are just not worried about the community at all.”
Satija, who has been in the country for 13 years, said he was not sure what he was going to do, but said the one-year extension had given him a bit of breathing space.
The Sandringham Post and Book Shop currently employed three staff, and Satija said he was now not sure how to deal with the situation as he still had the bank loan to pay off.
“It’s been a total loss for me, and no compensation.”
NZ Post comment could not be obtained at the time this article went online.